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I live in a suburban development carved into cornfields, work a 40-minute drive away, and my most bikeable shopping possibility is a never-easy 6-mile round-trip (thanks to a steep, mile-long climb). Elegantly clunky Euro-style bikes aren&rsquo;t up to the riding I do, and bikes built for the distance and terrain (and speed) don&rsquo;t match my idea of what riding should be like in my dream of commuting, hitting the farmers&rsquo; market, and riding to dinner on a single bike.<br />
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Then I saw the Sweetpea A-Line, a steel step-through with a light wheelset, slick tires, and a hill-friendly triple chainring. Designed by Natalie Ramsland in Portland, Oregon, it looked to have the heart of a road bike and the soul of a city bike. Ramsland&rsquo;s made-to-order bikes have a years-long wait list, but this is part of her Lust line, built in standard and custom sizes and available in months. Mine showed up all flirty with twinkling hammered-&shy;aluminum fenders and a narrow swept-back bar, shifters&shy; eye-browed atop the curves, and sexy cork grips with wooden bar-end plugs.<em>&mdash;Leah Flickinger</em><br />
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<em>Read Leah&rsquo;s full </em><a href="http://www.bicycling.com/gearfinderProductDetail?gfid=101006"><em>Sweetpea A-Line</em></a><em> review.</em><br />
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The honey-hued leather Brooks B67 saddle is designed to be set at an unusual, striking slant to cradle your sit bones in an upright riding position, and two large coiled springs help add all-day comfort.<br />
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Slender steel tubing helps the A-Line feel agile and forgiving, while setting an elegant tone for the bike, which is echoed by the Velo Orange hammered aluminum fenders. The Shimano Tiagra brakes are paired with Ergon BioKork grips on the Nitto handlebar, rounding out the style-and substance package.<br />

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The Boulder Bicycle Rando is designed to excel at randonnees&mdash;nonstop, <a href="http://www.bicycling.com/mountainbikecom/skills/how-fuel-really-long-rid..., self-supported events that are not quite races but require riders to hit checkpoints by designated times. Most randonnee bikes, including this one, are durable and designed to carry high front loads (like the Gilles Berthoud bag), equipped with lights and fenders, are stable without feeling sluggish, and at slower speeds feel natural instead of soporific (as race bikes tend to when you noodle them along). Despite how it looks, this bike isn&rsquo;t made for touring, says Mike Kone, the owner and designer of Boulder Bicycle. The frames generally aren&rsquo;t rigid enough to be loaded up in the back, he says. &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t have eyelets on the rear because we don&rsquo;t want to invite loads the bike isn&rsquo;t intended to handle.&rdquo; Forgoing the stiffness and strength required to handle a rear rack makes the Boulder livelier, lighter, and sweeter-riding than a truckish touring bike. And, in my opinion, better looking.<em>&mdash;Matt Phillips</em><br />
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<em>Read Matt&rsquo;s full </em><a href="http://www.bicycling.com/gearfinderProductDetail?gfid=101026"><em>Boulder Bicycle Rando</em></a><em> review.</em><br />
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Inside the front hub&rsquo;s gleaming shell is a Schmidt dynamo, which produces power as it spins to illuminate the automatic headlight and taillight. The system is smooth and efficient, with no increased resistance perceptible to the rider. <br />
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Working from his small shop on the outskirts of Boulder, Colorado, owner Kone builds up his bikes with attention to detail and randonnee propriety, such as the Nitto handlebar, which sweeps gently toward the rider for comfort on long days, and the Nitto seatpost and handmade leather Gilles Berthoud saddle (a companion to the company&rsquo;s bar bag).<br />
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The Runwell is one of my dream rides because, simply, it&rsquo;s a dream to ride. It&rsquo;s not a pure version of the porteur delivery bike&mdash;its design favors versatility over absolute performance under burden. The ride reaches its best confluence of agility and steadiness with five to 10 pounds in the rack but still feels good with up to 20 pounds or&mdash;as some don&rsquo;t&mdash;with nothing. With freight I wouldn&rsquo;t have wanted in a bag on my back, and that would have fizzled the fun out of the ride had it been on a rear-wheel rack or in <a href="http://www.bicycling.com/gearfinderproductlist?gfpagetype=subcategory&am..., I swooped turns, burst away from stoplights, stood to muscle my way up steep hills, outsprinted dogs and cocky BMX kids, and leapt potholes. It felt good to do my part in the fight against pollution and congestion&mdash;but it felt better to show off, mostly to myself, by riding no-handed behind a tower of hardcover books.<em>&mdash;Bill Strickland</em><br />
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<em>Read Bill&rsquo;s full </em><a href="http://www.bicycling.com/gearfinderProductDetail?gfid=101031"><em>Shinola Runwell</em></a><em> review.</em><br />

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The Runwell blends beauty and utility&mdash;exquisite aesthetics include the bright, loud Japanese Crane bell and the grips, which, like the saddle, are Shinola&rsquo;s own, along with other leather goods such as bags, wallets, and journals made in the Detroit factory. <br />
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The cutout S in each rear dropout exemplifies the level of craft put into the frame, which is accessorized with full-coverage fenders and a chainguard to encourage everyday riding across a range of conditions and tasks. Modern technology such as disc brakes and the seven-speed, internal-gear hub make for a smooth, swift ride. <br />
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The head badge (and the serial-number plate on the left chainstay) are sculpted and stamped miniature works of art. The fork is just as gorgeous, but is all about business, too&mdash;it has a gusset for additional strength to withstand the force of the front disc brake.<br />
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